Elastic webbing



June 26, 1951 P. H. BolvlN 2,558,336

ELASTIC WEBBING Filed June 1l, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet l ELASTIC WEBBING Filed June ll, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 26, 1951 ELASTIC WEBBING Peter Horace Boivin, Granby, Quebec, Canada, assignor to Dominion Corset Company Limited, Quebec, Quebec, Canada Application June 11, 1949, Serial No. 98,483

Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements in elastic webbing, and a particular object is to provide a novel elastic webbing having inelastic terminal portions for securing the webbing to a garment without impairing the elasticity of the insert.

A feature of this invention lies in the manner in which the elastic and inelastic warps are woven on the loom in a series of pattern weaves to continuously form alternate sections of relatively loosely interlaced elastic sections having woven inelastic tubular pockets at opposite ends of the elastic sections within which the elastic warps are interlocked with themselves and with weft threads to form a web which is united along its longitudinal edges to the longitudinal edges oi the pocket, and tightly woven, relatively thin inelastic sections which serve as tab securing elements at the ends ofthe pockets.

A further feature resides in the novel manner in which the elastic yarns are arranged in pairs in side by side relation throughout the elastic section and are interwoven with each other and with weft threads between the upper and lower webs of the pocket section to prevent the elastic yarns from lreceding into the elastic section. When the ends of the elastic yarns recede into the pocket they are locked in place substantially throughout the pocket by means of the interwoven weft threads which are secured at their outer ends along the longitudinal edges of the pocket.

The above and other objects and features characteristic of this invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a portion of a woven elastic strip embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan View of a portion of the strip shown in Fig. 1, as it is woven on the loom, a portion of one pocket section being broken away to reveal the interlocking arrangement of a pair of elastic yarns. i

Fig. 3 is a side view in section taken between the lines 3 3 of Fig. 2, and showing the manner inv which the elastic yarns extend through the pockets and across the tab forming section before cutting said yarns.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the free ends of the cut elastic yarns after they have receded into the tubular pockets.

Fig. 5 is a broken diagrammatic view showing a cross section of the first row in a pocket section beyond the elastic section. This view is taken along the lines 5-5 of Fig. 2.

` Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 but showing the second row in the pocket section and is taken along the lines 6-6 of Fig. 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 5 generally indicates a woven fabric strip composed of successive lengths, each length having sections B, l, 8 and 9. In each length section 'I is elastic and has a tubular inelastic pocket section 6 and 8 at its opposite ends. The tubular pocket section 8 of one length is joined to the tubular pocket section 6 ofv the adjacent length by intervening inelastic section 9. The strip has been divided into lengths of the above mentioned sections for the reason that the nished product is intended to be -cut into relatively short pieces of one to two lengths by cutting through the central portion of sections 9 so that each length contains at least one elastic section l, tubular inelastic pocket sections 6 and 8 at opposite ends of elastic section l, and a substantial portion of a atly woven inelastic section 9 at the outer extremity of each tubular pocket section 6 and 8.

In fabricating strip 5 each successive section in a length is subjected to a different pattern of weaving although patterns of one length are repeated in each length throughout the strip. The warp threads are arranged on a loom under tension in suitable groups of inelastic threads with covered elastic yarns between groups. In the present instance, I have shown for illustrative purposes, an arrangement of groups of four inelastic to one elastic warp. Although this arrangement is deemed to be satisfactory to meet a particular requirement, groups of six or eight inelastic yarns between elastic yarns have been contemplated to meet other requirements in the fabrication of these strips. However, the same patterns will be employed in the weaving of elastic and inelastic sections 6, l, B and S.

In the detailed description of the weaving patterns reference will be had particularly to Figs. 2, 3 and 4. It is preferable to start with the description of elastic section I as it is in this section that the elastic warp is interlaced with the weft to form an integral part of the fabricated strip. As heretofore stated the warps are arranged in groups of four inelastic yarns A, B, C and D, with a pair of elastic yarns E and F arranged in side by side relation between each group. As will be seen throughout the drawings, each of the elastic yarns E` and F comprises a rubber core l5 having a protective covering I6. There are four picks of weft to each change in the shed of the inelastic warp with each weft O passing alternately under and over two inelastic warps at a time in staggered groups of two. The

elastic warps E and F pass over and under each Y alternate weft in side by side relation. This pattern is repeated throughout elastic section 'i in a relatively loose weave of approximately 40-42 picks to the inch.

In the tubular pocket section 8, the warps and weft yarns are so interlaced as to form three webs,

Yone above the other, united only along their `gramrnatic Views and 6 taken along the linesV 5-5 and 6*-6 of Fig. 2. The weave in section 8 is a plain one and one in the upper and lower webs. As will be seen, the weft yarn O passes from right to left under and over alternate warps A and C to form the upper web of the pocket, then from left to right under and over warps B and D, tovform the lower web of the pocket, and then through the centre from right to left to form the intermediate web. Prior to this each elastic warp F is drawn to the'right hand side crossing over warp E so that weft O is interwoven therebetween, passing over warp F and under warp E (see Fig. 5) Weft O, after being interwoven with the elastic warps, starts a second row passing alternately over and under warps A and C from left to right, then down from right to left over and under warps B and D. Each elastic warp F is then drawn to the left hand side crossing over warp E and weft O, passing from Vleft to right, is interwoven with the elastic warps by passing over warp F and under warp E (see Fig. 6) The triple web weaving is repeated for a substantial number of rows throughout the pocket section from the juncture of the elastic and pocket sections to ensure a lock weaving of the elastic warp yarns within the pocket sections. Approximately eight rows of triple weave is believed to be suflicient. The weave for the remainder of the pocket section is a straight one and one alternating with the upper and lower inelastic warps but without interweaving with the centered elastic warps to the juncture of the pocket and at inelastic sections.

The flatly woven inelastic section 9 is then formed by centering the inelastic warps and raising the elastic warps out of the path of weaving. 'I'he inelastic warps and wefts are interlaced in a two and two weave. Preferably this'is made into a Very tight weave'of about 80 picks to the inch in order to produce a stiff panel section 9.

Tubular pocket section 6 of the next successive group follows the weaving of section 9, This constitutes a tubular pocket corresponding in pattern to that of the above described pocket section 8. Y

As previously pointed out, strip 5 is divided into successive lengths of four sections each. vEach elastic section l, as shown, is approximately 1%z inches long but may be of any desired length according to speciiic needs. The tubular inelastic pocket sections 5 and S extending from either end of elastic section l, are preferably about V3 of an inch long. The flatly woven inelastic sections 9 extend from the outer ends of Y tubular pocket sections 5 Vand 8 and are preferably about 1/2 'Y inch in length. During the weaving of section 9 the elastic warps are lifted above the webbing. Section 9 forms a link between the tubular pocket sections 5 and 8 of each successive length throughout the strip and the elastic warps pass from the tubular pocket section 8 of one length, over the web of section 9, and through the tubular pocket section 6 of the following length to'be interwoven in the elastic section 1 Vof said last mentioned length.

When the weaving of the whole warp has been completed and the resultant strip removed from the loom, the portionsV of the elastic warps over the web sections 9 are cut out between the points Ill-Ill shown in Fig. 3 adjacent pocket sections S and S. Once cut, the ends Il and l2 of the elastic warps will recede into the tubular pocket sections 6 and 8 respectively, rendering them invisible, and will be locked in place within the vtubular pocket throughout a substantial length of the pocket, as shown in Figi. This lockingV of the ends Il and I2 is caused partly by the expansion of the rubber portion of the elastic warp due to its lengthwise shrinkage but mainly by the interlocking weave of the elasticfyarns E and F between themselves and the inelastic wefts O between the' upper and lower webs of the pocket section.

The finished product, as shown in Fig. 1, is then cut into desired strips of one or two lengths rby cutting through the approximate centre of section 9 as indicated at I4, toV provide securing tabs I5 at either end of the selected strip. Each group above referred to provides an elastic insert for joining two sections of material where itis desired to have a stretchable section therebetween. This is particularly desirable for brassire and other foundations garment shoulder straps and for the .meeting ends of thebody encircling bands of brassieres, In the rst instance a single length lis employed. The tab l5 at one end is sewn to one end of the shoulder strap while the tab l5 at the other end is sewn to the uppery edge of the garment proper. In the second instance two lengths may be employed by folding the double length upon itself so thatthe central, uncut section 9 serves as a retaining loop for suitable hook fasteners while the tabs l5 at opposite ends are sewn to lone end of a body encircling band. Other uses contemplated are such as inserts or gores in foundation garments where stretch is required. In such cases the elastic strips may be of varying widths to suitrthe needs and the strips will be fastened by their .tabs l5 to adjacent edges of the inelastic portions of. the garment.

I claim: v Y

1. A woven fabric strip comprising successive lengths of webbing having elastic and inelastic sections, each length including anrelastic section, a tubular pocket forming section at opposite ends of said elastic section and a flatly woven inelastic tab Vforming section extending from the outer ends of each pocket forming section, said strip K being continuously formed from elasticrand inelastic warp yarns arranged in series under tension and interwoven with weft yarns, saidweft Vyarns being loosely interwoven in the elastic sections with the. inelastic yarns in a four and two, two and two weave and with the elastic yarns in a one and one weave, then being separately interwoven with the inelastic yarns and with the elastic yarns in the pocket forming sections to Y elastic .section outside of which the elastic 4warps oat between adjacent pocket forming sections of successive lengths of webbing.

2. A Woven fabric strip according to claim 1, in which the elastic Warp comprises a covered rubber strand.

3. A woven fabric strip according to claim 1 in which the oating portion of the elastic warps outside of the pocket sections are cut adjacent the pockets whereby the free ends of said elastic warps will recede into the pocket forming sections to be locked therein substantially throughout the length of the pockets.

4. A Woven fabric strip according to claim l,4

yarns, each pair of elastic yarns being in paral- 20 6 lel side by side relation throughout the elastic sections and being interwoven with the weft yarns with one elastic warp alternately crossed over and under the other in successive rows as they are interwoven with the weft yarns in the pocket forming sections.

PETER HORACE BOIVIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,097,810 Dawes Nov, 2, 1937 2,196,957 Cosman Apr. 9, i940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 465,720 France Feb. 13, 1914 

